Eyes on Fire
by Submerged-Mermaid
Summary: Something was amiss. Her best friend, her companion, her confidant, Jason Todd. He did not die the way the newspapers said. She was going to find out, and whoever was responsible was going to regret taking him away. From Jason's high school days to the events of Under the Red Hood. Jason/OC. Rated M for coarse language and violence, etc.
1. Akogare no Hinichijou

Hello, everyone! This story is based on my love for Jason Todd and the Batfamily. It's supposed to extend from what I imagine was Jason's high-school days to the events of Under the Red Hood. It might not follow everything to detail from the movie, based on the involvement of other characters. Each chapter title is based off of a song that I thought matched the mood of the chapter, or a song that I listened to while I wrote it. :)

Disclaimer: Jason Todd and all other DC characters do not belong to me. I only own my OCs.

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"Shit. This fucking sucks." Was the first thing Sophie ever heard him say. Quirking an eyebrow under bangs that were overdue for a trim, she watched wide-eyed as the figure uttered more profanities under the pouring rain.

She'd just been exiting the public library with a backpack full of new books. Realizing that the sunny weather in the morning had decided to leave and give birth to the beginning of a hellish summer rain, she'd placed all of them in her backpack in order to open her umbrella. By the time she'd made it down the Gotham Public Library steps, her sandal-clad feet were soaked from the drizzle, but the rest of her was still snugly dry.

That was when she'd heard him, cars zipping past as he muttered angrily about the rain. He had not come prepared. If she had known him better, she would not have been surprised.

Peeking at him out of the corner of her eye, she realized with a start that she recognized him from Gotham Academy. Abruptly her posture stiffened, her cheeks turning pink under her long bangs. Pursing her lips nervously, she looked to the side again under her hair. Yes, she was certain. Not too far from her stood Jason Todd, ward of billionaire Bruce Wayne and one of the most notorious kids at her high school.

Impulsive, handsome, and edgy were some of the words used to describe him at school. She remembered that he often got into fights with others if provoked. Girls loved him and guys either respected him or were scared shitless of him. The fact that his adopted father was a billionaire was enough to make him desirable for many girls at Gotham Academy. He was not in any of her classes, despite both of them being juniors. And she liked to keep to herself.

Sighing exasperatingly loud, she watched as his tall figure sat down frustratingly on the edge of a bench at the bus stop, the rain getting heavier as it soaked through his black hair. Leaning back on the bench, he huffed and closed his eyes. She noticed he wasn't taking off his jacket and wondered why. The leather jacket would be more than enough to cover his head until the bus came. Moreover, _why would Jason Todd be waiting for the bus?_

Subtly, she raised her hand and checked her blue watch. Satsuki Kiryuin* on the clock face ticked back at her, showing her it was nearing four-thirty. She was waiting for the bus at a quarter to five, but there was another bus that would arrive in about four minutes. As if reminding her of the situation, the rainfall increased.

Biting her lip, she weighed her options. She didn't want to stand there with an umbrella when he was the only one at the bus stop near her. It would be rude, and if it were one of her friends, she wouldn't hesitate to offer to share the umbrella.

_But this was Jason Todd._

Her gloved fingers clenched around the handle of the umbrella, her heart beat thumping nervously against her chest. What would she say? She didn't want to sound awkward. Oh God, what if she spoke so quietly that he got mad at her?!

She shook her head furiously at her own internalizing.

_No! Just try. Besides, it's the right thing to do._

Slowly, feeling as if she had a rabid Tasmanian devil in her stomach, she approached the boy on the bench. Without saying a word, she stood next to the bench and shakily extended the umbrella over the both of them.

Seeming to realize that the rain wasn't hitting him anymore, Jason Todd opened his eyes to see a purple umbrella hovering over him. Blinking in surprise, his gaze turned to focus on the girl holding it, her gloved hands subtly shaking. Subconsciously she watched as he pushed his sopping wet bangs to the side so he could see her better.

_Why is she wearing gloves?_ Was the first thing that came to his mind.

Despite her nervousness, she tried for a smile. "I thought you'd like some shelter." A pause, "From the rain." She clarified.

She waited nervously for a response. _Oh crap, did I say it wrong? How could I say it wrong?! Does he think I'm being weird? Shit!_

Instead, he blinked again, "Thanks."

She shook her head vigorously, feeling embarrassed. "No, it's no problem. I just figured since we're both waiting for the bus..."

He nodded, unzipping his jacket. She watched as he pulled out a library book from under the rain-speckled leather. "I was just trying to make sure it wouldn't get wet." He explained. She was too consumed by the idea that she was actually talking to him to notice the title of it. So that was why he wouldn't cover himself with the jacket. Huh.

She watched a droplet of water drip down the side of his face past his cheekbone. He was lovely.

She blinked out of her reverie by the sound of the approaching bus. Both of them turned to look as it screeched to a stop in front of them, its doors opening with a creak and a hiss of air.

Jason fluidly stood up from the bench, his height easily passing the top of the umbrella. She quickly maneuvered it out of the way to let him pass, her feet shuffling as she tightly gripped the handle.

This wasn't her bus, so she didn't follow. She watched him quickly climb the stairs, reaching into his pocket to withdraw some coins. Realizing she was staring at him to long, she shamefacedly looked down at her sandals and watched the drops hit the ground.

"Hey."

She jerked her head up at the sound of his voice. He was holding onto the metal pole nearest to the driver. The sides of his mouth were tipped up. "Thanks again."

Stunned, she could only nod again, her cheeks pink as the doors shut. The bus drove away, and left her with her first impression of him.

She felt breathless as the pitter-patter of rainfall clouded her senses.

_Shit._

* * *

_* Satsuki Kiryuin, from the anime Kill la Kill. 3  
_


	2. Conceal, Don't Feel

Hello! So, chapter one was a bit short. I hope I can make the next few chapters much longer.

I just wanted to give an explanation on how I'll be writing Jason. While I love reading comics, I haven't yet been able to read any revolving around Jason except the first volume of Red Hood and the Outlaws. My only experience of Jason's personality is from the movie Under the Red Hood, as well as bits and pieces I see on tumblr. So forgive me if the way I write him is not how you initially pictured if you read the comics. What I am writing is how I imagine Jason to be. :D Because this is also a Young Justice crossover, you might be seeing other characters. The time might be changed. If my calculations are correct, Jason is already *supposedly* dead by the time Dick is 18 years old. I think 18 is around the freshman/sophomore year of college, and I imagine that Jason is canonically younger than Dick Grayson by a few years. In this story, Jason is a senior in high school, and Dick is just starting his sophomore year of college. Please let me know your thoughts through reviews! I would really appreciate it! And if you have been with me through this whole explanation, bless your lovely heart. XD

Typical disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the story. Nothing else.

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Chapter 2: Conceal, Don't Feel

The first weeks of senior year were blessedly quiet for Sophie. If not in class, the library was the next best bet to find her. She had always been able to read fast, gobbling up one story after another. While others might have found it odd, she didn't care. The smell of a book was enough to cheer her up after her English class. While she loved to read, writing for her was another story. Math? Eh. Science? Fun! History? Great! English? Ew grammar, but yes to books.

Books had been her best company after being separated from her parents. Being too busy with their careers, they had left her with her grandparents when she was just five. While she loved her grandparents dearly, they were Greek immigrants that remembered more the culture of their homeland than that of Gotham city. And who could blame them? Going from somewhere like Greece to the turmoil and grit of Gotham city was enough to drive anyone crazy. She had grown up quietly with them, not belonging to either culture but rather standing on a line between both. A night under the covers with a flashlight and a book had been common for her, which was why she now needed to use reading glasses.

On one particular day in early September, she was sitting in the library reading a copy of Jane Eyre.

She hadn't spoken to Jason since the time she'd offered her umbrella in August. Once she'd seen him getting into a fancy car after school, with a man who was obviously his butler. Other than that, she hadn't seen him. Like last year, she didn't share any classes with him.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. She sighed, placing a bookmark in the place she was reading. The chair creaked as she stood up, stretching her arms and letting her long hair cascade freely down her back. She'd trimmed her bangs before the first week of school, so they didn't hinder her eyes as she put her glasses away. Placing everything in her backpack, she smiled slightly. _Time to go home_.

Trotting past the main desk with a cheerful wave to Ms. Kelly the librarian, Sophie made her way to the door. Home was a few blocks down from the school, and the weather seemed pretty nice for early September. Eagerly she made her way down the hall with Jane Eyre in hand, not noticing an approaching group of students behind her.

"Hey, Petras!"

She froze, recognizing the voice. Turning around, she watched Bryan Mather make his way towards her. Two of his friends trailed behind, innocent smiles on their faces. Bryan Mather knew everyone, and everyone knew Bryan Mather. While this was true, Sophie wished she didn't know him. She was a particularly fond target of his. Despite the fact that she often told him to piss off.

Well, in her head at least. Hey, it counts, right?

Bryan Mather was the head of the school wrestling team. He was gorgeous by society's standards, with tanned skin, blond hair and green eyes. Not nearly as gorgeous as Jason, she thought. The sudden thought had red creeping into her cheeks. Why was she thinking about him all of a sudden?! She didn't even know him!

She sighed, rolling her eyes as he stopped in front of her. "What do you want, Bryan?" she asked, forcefully making her voice strong so that he could see she wasn't afraid of him. Which, totally, she was.

_Holy crap, what now? Is he going to make fun of my face again?_

She cringed, remembering the last time he had teased her. She'd been born with a roman nose, and had been ridiculed for the small bump on the bridge. And unlike many other pretty, button-nosed girls at school, she wasn't as thin. Her grandparents had always told her she was their beautiful girl, but after all his teasing she just couldn't believe them anymore. She was ugly to herself. He had destroyed her sense of self-esteem. She hated her own image.

Bryan was really tall, and heavily muscled. Batman could beat him easy, but she certainly wasn't Batman (or six foot two, for that matter).

He smirked down at her. "Aw, how cute you are with your foreign accent. What is that, Italian? And did you trim your hair again? Now I can see your lovely nose even better."

"Greek, and you know that." She ground out, her hand tightening into a fist at her side. She had nothing against Italians, but she didn't like being made fun of. Being raised by Greeks and speaking with Greeks gave you an accent, so what?

The tightening of her fist at her side caught Bryan's gaze. He focused in on her gloved hands. Today, the choice had been light pink.

"Oh, nice choice for today. Going home for a tea party with your dollies?"

"What's it to you?" she snapped back, uncharacteristically. She inhaled sharply, not used to being so openly angry with him. "Maybe I _like_ tea."

His eyes widened for a split second before he laughed. "Maybe I should take them off your hands. Literally and figuratively."

Her eyes widened, and a look of fear crossed visibly on her face. It was too late, he'd seen. "Don't", she breathed in, taking a small step back, "Don't you dare."

He smirked, "What's the matter, hun? What's the big deal if I take them off? Are you afraid of germs, too?" His friends snickered behind him.

Before she could stop him, his hand shot out and grabbed the top of her right glove. In her shock she dropped Jane Eyre on the ground. Time slowly seemed to stop for her. This had briefly allowed the skin of her hand to touch his. Why wasn't anyone stopping this? Oh, right, because to them taking someone's gloves was not a big deal. But for her, it was.

Suddenly, she was seeing flashes: a young blonde boy and his two teasing older brothers in the snow, him skating in the park, the same boy watching an older man leave the front door with his suitcase, his mother yelling and breaking bottles, the sunlight through the trees on his first day of middle school, passing his math midterm, a girl crying in the dark across from him, his mother and brothers laughing at the table-

Just like that, memories poured through Sophie's mind like water from a fountain. The images were so vibrant, so vivid, that the sensory overload was too much for her. Immediately she had become dizzy and disoriented, closing her eyes to try and steady herself. A moment of skin contact through the hands was all she needed to see the important or major parts of someone's life: moments that made them the person they were.

Sophie hated it. Hated how her 'gift' invaded people's privacy. She was scared of how overwhelming the images where for her physically. While visualizing someone's memories only took a second for her to absorb completely, it felt so much longer. She'd been wearing gloves since she was old enough to comprehend her ability. The first time had been when she was seven. Almost ten years of wearing gloves almost every day. They were her safety net.

Bryan and his friends laughed as she stumbled, trying to right herself. She clenched her teeth, biting back tears. Her head felt fuzzy and the fingers on her bare hand tingled. Her ears were ringing.

_Crying is not a weakness_, her grandmother's voice rang through her head, _it only shows that you are sad. _

But she didn't want to cry. They didn't deserve her tears.

"Hey Mather, don't you have better things to do than fuck around with other students?"

Instantly, Sophie's eyes opened. She watched a blurry hand from behind her bend down to pick up Jane Eyre, and suddenly she knew Jason Todd was standing next to her, the book in his hands.

Bryan's eyes narrowed. "Todd. Why don't you mind your own fucking business?"

Jason smirked, handing the book back to Sophie. Shakily, she grabbed the book with her gloved hand, nodding a thanks.

"If she wants me to go, I will. She has every right to tell you to fuck off herself." Jason replied easily, glancing down at Sophie, "right?"

She blinked in surprise, looking down at the book in her hands before directing her gaze back to Bryan and his friends. His friends had gone silent, and were sending Jason wary looks. His reputation definitely proceeded him. Bryan clenched his fists, her pink glove still in one hand.

Slowly she watched as his narrowed, furious gaze went from Jason to her. She felt like an ant under his gaze, but then she remembered that Jason Todd was next to her. She wasn't alone.

"That's right." She murmured to herself. Taking in a deep breath, she extended her bare hand out in front of him. "My glove, please." She asked, pronouncing her accent more distinctly to make her point.

Bryan stared at her hand and his frown deepened as Jason stood quietly beside her, his tall figure giving her reassurance.

A moment passed, and then Bryan scoffed. He threw her glove to the floor, before turning around. "Little shits." He muttered under his breath. And just like that, Bryan walked away with his friends trailing after him.

Jason huffed in amusement.

The moment they disappeared from the hallway, Sophie bent down to retrieve her glove. Without waiting, she put Jane Eyre under her other arm so that she could slip her glove back on.

Turning to Jason, she offered a shy smile. "Thank you for the support."

He smirked back, "Thanks for the umbrella cover." He stuck out a hand, offering it to her. "Jason Todd."

Glove safely on her hand, she extended it to shake his, "Sophie Petras."

She noticed her head felt much better, and her vision was clearing despite the ringing in her ears. He was close enough that she could see a dusting of freckles over his nose and cheeks. Blue-green eyes that reminded her of the sea glittered back at her, sharp as broken glass. Black bangs fell over his forehead messily, but he was dressed just like any other male student at Gotham Academy. Although the top few buttons of his shirt were undone and his tie was loose, he still wore the black jacket that held the Academy's crest.

She felt awkward standing there, without anything much to say. Luckily, Jason broke the silence for her.

"Jane Eyre, huh? Good book, the ending was worth the wait."

She looked at him surprisingly as they both began to make their way towards the front of the school. She could feel other people's gazes on her as she walked with him, and she tried not to feel uncomfortable. She was already trying to have a normal conversation, and with someone like Jason it was difficult for her.

At her surprised look he raised a brow teasingly, "What? I can't appreciate Charlotte Brontë because I'm a guy?"

_Is this really happening?_ Her mind asked her incredulously.

It took a moment for her to reply. "On the contrary," she answered as they went through the school's entrance doors, "You should appreciate her work more _because_ you are a guy."

Her answer earned her a smirk and a chuckle, and she felt like glowing from the inside.

_Don't be so easily flattered! Jeez, it's only one guy! Where is your sense of propriety, Sophie? He's just making nice conversation. Jason Todd, of all people, with someone like you! Don't take it out of fucking context!_

Her thoughts were interrupted when he turned towards her, "I see my ride, so I'm gonna head off. See you later, Sophie." He offered a lazy wave and turned, making his way down the stairs with his hands in his pockets. She watched him make his way to his ride and the butler, before waving back softly.

"Bye, Jason." She murmured softly, the breeze making her hair flutter.


	3. Make My Wish Come True

Hello everyone! Thank you for waiting so patiently for the third chapter! After making some plans, the story seems to be stretching out to accommodate more elements from the comics. So the plot will be a mix between the movie and comics. A special thank you to my story's lovely followers and reviewers! You don't know how much it means to me for someone to even take a glance at my work. Your reviews have also given me more ideas on how to shape Jason's character! :D May your cookie jars be always filled with fresh cookies. :)

Disclaimer: Jason and all other characters belong to DC. All works mentioned belong to their respective writers. :) Only my OCs are mine.

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Chapter 3: Make My Wish Come True

Some weeks had passed, and September was coming to an end.

On one of those days, Sophie arrived at her grandparents' place exhausted.

The location of her grandparent's house was pretty lucky for Gotham. They weren't in the rich side, with its mansions and pristinely cut lawns that were too much to keep up. Nor where they in somewhere like the Narrows, where the dangers of going out were high. Her grandparents owned a quaint apartment near the main part of the city, only a few blocks away from Gotham Academy.

Sophie climbed up several cement steps before reaching for her keys. Unlike living in Crime Alley, she didn't have to have them ready the moment she arrived home for fear of someone mugging her in the street. While she sympathized that others had to deal with this, like her friend Eve, she also felt thankful that she could feel relatively safe standing outside her own home.

Before she could turn the key in the lock she heard a faint scratching sound on the inside. A smile made its way on her face. Sen was waiting for her. Swinging open the door, she regarded the black cat with amused eyes. "Hello, darling."

The black cat blinked its gray eyes at her. While her culture mostly believed that black cats were bad luck, Sophie's family had adopted the little creature when he had been found trying to survive in a sewer nearby. And ever since she had started middle school, Sen had been waiting for her at the front door when she returned.

One of his ears twitched before he launched at her. Not surprised at the action, Sophie bent down slightly so the cat could find its natural position on her shoulders. She felt content as Sen's face nuzzled her cheek, as if giving her permission to move forward.

While her grandparents were good company, Sophie was one of his favorite perches.

Sophie carefully dumped her bag near the staircase, making sure that Sen wouldn't fall off.

Slowly, she then pulled off her pastel teal gloves, relishing in the feel of having nothing on her hands. She'd already seen the memories of both her grandparents, and as such didn't worry about the contact. Seeing them all the time ensured that she wouldn't be updated with images anytime she passed her grandmother the sugar or took the television remote from her grandfather.

And as far as her grandparents knew, she just really liked wearing pretty gloves.

"Hi sweetheart, how was your day?" Sophie's grandmother asked in Greek as Sophie made her way towards the kitchen.

"All right, thank you." Sophie replied as she entered the kitchen, seeing both her grandmother and grandfather sitting at the small table having a coffee. The delicious aroma of the strong espresso tingled at her nose, and she grinned when she saw a cup waiting for her between them.

Her grandfather lifted his gaze from a book, his face crinkling into a smile at the sight of her, "How are you, honey?" his smoky voice asked her in Greek. Her parents rarely spoke English inside the house.

"Fine, fine." She replied hastily, sitting down at the table between them with Sen still perched on her shoulders. It was normal for Sen to sit like that for minutes at a time.

She released a sigh as the cup met her lips, the taste of strong espresso like a sweet lullaby.

Her grandparents watched her with amused expressions. A cuckoo clock ticked in the corner, and the hum of the heating made Sophie's stresses of the day melt away. Home was definitely with her grandparents.

Placing the cup down on its saucer, Sophie appraised both of her grandparents with a look of love and hidden apprehension. They were both in their eighties, and while their minds were as sharp as a whip, she worried about the inevitable. She tried to appreciate all the time she had with them.

"Anything interesting happen today?" Her grandmother asked, taking a look at the small cup that Sophie had emptied in one large sip. Greek coffee cups were really small because the coffee was so strong. You only needed so much.

Sophie knew her grandmother was analyzing the patterns the extra grounds had made in her cup, and she offered it with her own amused expression, "Do you want to read it?"

Her grandmother shook her head, "I shouldn't, but I guess I could."

Her grandmother liked to 'read the cup' for fun. Reading the grounds that dried in your coffee cup was a fun way to 'predict' your own future, and while Sophie didn't take it seriously it was a great way to pass the time.

Glancing at her grandfather, she observed as he gazed at her grandmother's pursed lips with raised eyebrow. "Oh, is it something good? Am I supposed to expect a raise at work?"

"You haven't had a raise since you were thirty years younger." Her grandmother responded matter-of-factly, glancing at her husband out of the corner of her eye with a smile.

"So then, what is it?"

Her grandmother smiled again with an 'aha!' as she tapped what Sophie figured was an image in the cup, "Look at this! A perfect bird!"

Sophie blinked in surprise. "A bird? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, what do I know?" her grandmother answered with a shrug, "It could be a wolf."

"For all I know it means you need to filter that coffee more." Her grandfather mumbled from behind his book.

"Nick!" Her grandmother exclaimed, whacking her husband lightly on the arm, "I make good coffee, and don't you forget it!"

"Yes, yes." Her grandfather admonished, waving his hand.

Sophie giggled into her palm, before getting up from the table, "I should start my work. I've got an essay due next week that I'm almost done with."

"Okay darling." Her grandmother replied, steeling a fake pouty glance at her husband, "I'll be down here with your grandfather if you need us."

"Okay."

* * *

The dream was pure at first.

Softly, Sophie had turned into the comfort of her blankets. She had fallen into sleep easily, and Sen had taken his post at the foot of the bed.

The dream had come smooth and interrupted. Then, like milk being poured into a dark coffee, the surface of the dream changed shape.

Sometimes, images that Sophie had experienced through the touch of others would seep into her dreams. The same vividness would appear, playing like a video over and over again. If a person she touched hands with had particular memories that were especially potent, the absorption would not only be taken in at the moment of contact, but other times in the form of forceful dreams or visions. They could randomly appear at any time. For the few people that Sophie had absorbed memories from, visions could appear even months after she had come into contact with them.

She saw parts of Bryan Mather's life once again floating across her eyelids. This time, it was a specific event. She saw a girl, but could not tell exactly who it was in the dark. Apparently, Bryan Mather hadn't known who it was either. But she was sobbing, the cries racking Sophie's brain in taunting echoes. Was it an ex-girlfriend? What had happened?

She woke up abruptly. Turning and tossing in her bed, she sighed frustratingly as she sat up. The echoes of the girl's tears still rang in her head.

Glaring at nothing in particular, she cast Sen a jealous look as the cat curled contentedly at the edge of her bed, sound asleep.

"You lucky little shit." She murmured, glancing at the clock.

1:27 glared at her in bright blue from the tiny alarm clock on her nightstand. The house was quiet except for its natural noises, and Sophie knew her grandparents must have gone to bed hours ago.

Steeling herself for a moment, she made a decision. She was sure that sleep was not going to come easy tonight. She stretched, pulling back her purple covers to place her feet on the bare wooden floor.

"Looks like another library night." She whispered to herself.

Sighing, she got up, going across the room to her closet. Opening the door quietly, she pulled out some black leggings and a hoodie with rosemaling embroidery.

She didn't usually worry about making noise on these nights. Conveniently, her grandparents were extremely heavy sleepers, and on top of that took medicine to make sure they'd get a full night's sleep. The only one in the house who wasn't a heavy sleeper was her.

Quickly, she braided her mink brown hair into a sloppy side braid and slipped on a pair of dark purple gloves. After putting some flat boots on, she slipped some essentials into her backpack and crept out of her room.

She left her door open and her bed unmade. A notepad sat in the kitchen. She quickly scribbled that she'd gone to school early just in case her grandparents woke up before their usual time. This way she could be gone the whole night and they wouldn't notice she had left the house late if they found the note in the morning. They would assume that she had just left early for one reason or another.

This mission always required stealth, and she had pulled it off numerous times since the beginning of high school. She couldn't stand sitting around in her room, browsing the bright screen of her computer for hours on end until dawn broke with no one to talk to.

Hey, not like Sen was going to tattle on her.

Inaudibly, she locked the front door behind her and made her way down the street, humming as she breathed in the crisp air.

From Gotham Academy, it would only take a small bus ride to the Gotham Public Library. Thankfully, the library had special hours because of its rich patrons, and was open twenty-four seven except on weekends. It was there that Sophie would find herself when she was unable to sleep at home.

Sometimes she'd find herself waking up in a small corner of the library from her phone alarm, a book page stuck to her cheek. She'd get up, head to Gotham Academy, and use the girl's restroom to brush her teeth and fix her appearance.

These were the nights where she'd acquaint herself with the works of Jane Austen or Rumiko Takahashi. The library was impossibly large, and full of all kinds of books.

One would think that she'd be worried about taking public transportation at night. But if you weren't in a shadier part of town, it was normal to see people crowding in on a bus, going out for the nightlife or working late. Gotham city was just like New York- alive at night. Whether it was safe or not, it was abuzz.

And nighttime was when people could keep their eyes out for a glimpse of Gotham's most famous tourist attractions: Batman and Robin.

Granted, it wasn't as safe as Metropolis, but Sophie knew the bus driver, and the public library was in a big plaza near the business district of Gotham.

She arrived around 1:58, the lights from inside the Gotham Public Library welcoming her as she climbed up the steps.

Entering, she savored the atmosphere as she wandered around to find her own spot. There were quite a few people in the library tonight, and a lot of them seemed to be university students.

_Huh. Midterms must be coming up for them. _

Thinking of their exams brought another familiar subject to her.

_I do have that Great Expectations exam in English next week…_

With renewed resolve Sophie decided to look for a copy of Great Expectations, or anything that would help her with her studying. Anything to keep the girl's terrified, widened eyes out of her echoing thoughts.

After checking a computer to find it, she climbed up to the third level of the library. Up there it was pretty secluded, and the silence comforted her as she perused the goldenly lit library. Between shelves loaded with tomes new and old, several tables or couches arranged in circles were placed.

And Sophie definitely knew from experience- those cushions were comfy.

_Hm…the book…_

Finding the location she was looking for, she plucked the book from the shelf and observed the cover. Satisfied, she nodded before exiting the aisle. Looking to the left towards the corner of the building, she decided that she'd head to a particularly quiet corner that had lovely large windows.

Making her way quietly, her eyes widened in surprise.

_Are you freaking kidding me?!_

There, near her favorite spot, a familiar shock of black hair had greeted her view.

Hunched over a number of papers, Jason was scribbling away amongst a pile of books and what looked like several coffee cups.

_Seriously?_

She had stopped in her spot, several feet away from the table he was sitting at. Her favorite couch was perched to the right of the large table.

Unfortunately, but thankfully, empty.

She sighed internally, clenching Great Expectations in her hand.

_Might as well say hi, or it'd be awkward._

Approaching the table, she stopped across from him. He must have been really into his work, for he hadn't raised his head to acknowledge her.

Either that or he was just ignoring her. But then again, she always made the worst assumptions of people.

Hesitantly, she opened her mouth, "Jason?"

In a flash his eyes met hers, and she was startled by the intent anger that was painted across his face. His eyes were flashing; more of a burning emerald from her view. His mouth was almost fashioned into a snarl, his brows furrowed. He looked like pure rage.

And- more concernedly- his under-eye circles were so black she could have compared him to a panda. And what was that large scratch on his cheek?!

Had he gotten into a fight at school?

In the moment she had etched his expression into her head his face instantly softened into that of innocent surprise.

"Oh, it's you."

He sighed and raised a hand, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. "Sorry about that."

Sophie raised a brow. "It's okay, I guess." She looked more closely to the pile of stuff on the table, and the open laptop, "Busy studying?"

"Yeah," he answered, holding back a yawn, "Unfortunately, I've got an essay due tomorrow that I haven't finished yet."

"Oh?" She smiled lightly.

He grinned lightly, and she felt confused at how easily he had switched facial expressions.

Her attention was caught by a newspaper off to the side of him. It seemed new, and the headline was big: FAMOUS MODEL COMMITS SUICIDE, GPD INVESTIGATES.

Her brows furrowed in sadness. She knew that Gotham was home to some foul people, but the reminder of the harsh life there from time to time only made it more real for her.

"You're not stalking me, are you?" Jason's teasing voice interrupted her.

Jolting out of her reverie she almost had a panic attack.

"W-What?! N-n-no! If anything, I should be worried about you stalking me!" she nearly shrieked, her face turning pink from embarrassment.

"Hey, this is a library! Someone might shush you." Jason admonished, a teasing lilt to his voice. "Just kidding though. We do go to the same school, and this library is the only one open all the time."

She sighed in relief and then huffed, her eyebrow narrowing skeptically at him. "So, what's this essay you've got?"

Jason sighed exasperatedly, picking up a book and handing it to her. "See for yourself."

She put down Great Expectations and picked up the dark blue volume Jason had handed to her, "The Works of Edgar Allen Poe?"

Smiling brightly, she looked at him, "That's exciting though! Poe has great work!"

Jason blinked at her sudden enthusiasm, "I'm not saying he doesn't." He pretended to be offended, "You always think I don't like what I'm reading!"

She let out a small nervous laugh, flipping through the index, "I'm just really protective of my favorite works." She looked at him again, "You're not doing The Raven, are you?"

He raised his eyebrow, "I can hear it coming. No, why?"

"While it's beautiful and I love it, didn't we all have to memorize it in middle school?" Sophie asked, turning towards a page that was bookmarked.

_Annabel Lee_

"Oh." She read the poem fondly, tracing the lines quietly as Jason watched on.

She looked up at him and handed him back the book, "Annabel Lee? That's a nice choice."

If only for a moment Jason's eyes flashed with that familiar rage she had seen earlier, and she didn't know why. She didn't even know, for some reason, why she didn't fear him despite it.

"So what is the essay topic specifically?" Sophie asked, trying to get that look out of his gaze. The harshness of it marred him in an unnatural way, and she didn't like it.

_Seriously, Sophie?_

"It's just one of those 'analyze a piece of poetry' ones. Not too hard."

She nodded, "What made you choose that particular one?"

For a moment, he said nothing, and Sophie was worried she had talked too much.

"I guess…" Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair. The movement caught her attention. Suddenly, something struck her.

The roots of his hair, though miniscule, seemed off. She couldn't tell for certain.

_Jason's hair is not really black? Or am I just seeing things?_

She was intrigued, but her thoughts were cut off as Jason handed her the newspaper she had glanced at earlier.

Jason's mouth was in a straight line as he handed it over. She took it and finally decided to sit down, realizing she wasn't just stopping over to say hi. Pulling out a chair, she sat down at the table across from him.

Now that she could look closer, she saw the explanation under the large headline. A model named Gloria Stanson had committed suicide after she had been raped. Authorities could not find the man who had done it.

"This really saddens me." She murmured, putting down the newspaper on the table.

Jason nodded, seeming suddenly even older than usual, "Me too."

The silence for a moment was palpable. Then Jason sighed. "It's just…." He pulled out the book of poems and slapped it down next to the newspaper headline with enough force to surprise her. Looking down, she noticed it was opened to Annabel Lee.

Jason frowned, "If you read the way that Poe talks about Annabel Lee…"

Sophie looked up at him, perplexed but curious.

He took another breath, "The love, and the devotion that there is for this Annabel Lee…why can't real life be like that?"

The crease in his brows unfurled as a certain sadness graced his features, "Why can't women like Gloria have that instead of having to go through…" he gestured to the headline, a faint expression of disgust returning.

Sophie, while surprised that Jason was telling her about this, was happy to learn that her suspicions had been right. Jason was a good kid, just a little rough around the edges. And also very attractive, which made things even worse for her.

But at that moment, she could sympathize. She often wondered if she'd stay in Gotham after college. Or would she go back to Greece to live? Choices, choices. But with all the violence in Gotham, especially towards women…

Looking at Jason, she could tell this had been on his mind for a while. While she had been nervous to be in his presence, his softened behavior towards the subject made her want to hug him. But she couldn't. That would be totally weird. The fact that he was talking to someone like her was too weird already.

Instead she chose to hand him back Annabel Lee, a shy grin on her face, "You're right, Jason, women like Gloria Stanson shouldn't have to go through that. But that is why we have people like you, who recognize the wrong that is going on. Your decision, your choice, to admit that there needs to be change is a good thing. You are doing the best you can under the circumstances."

She shrugged, "At least, I guess you are. I mean, I've only known you for a little while."

Jason stared at her quietly.

Before she knew it, a small grin had crept on to his face in thanks, and she knew she was in trouble. He was going to be too much of a good thing to handle at close distance.


End file.
